Test of Tolerance
by minimerc
Summary: NaruSaku “Naruto… please don’t go. I need you here with me. I can’t go on by myself.” Current Manga chapter. Naruto doesn't want to just be a replacement, but is he or has Sakura finally realized that he's always been there for her?


Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and/or its characters. They belong to Kishimoto-sama!! 

**WARNING**: Manga spoilers! Read at your own disgression!!!

Test of Tolerance: NaruSaku Challenge Fic

His eyes are downcast, his shoulder droop as he approaches team seven's training field. He has to tell her eventually. He has been putting it off for a long time… 2 months and 29 days to be exact. He is leaving tomorrow with his new teacher, Ero Sennin tomorrow for 3 years. He is pretty sure that she would notice his absence, even if she didn't care about him in _that_ way.

And for those that don't know what _that_ way is… there will come a time where you, too, will know and be crushed. When people add _that _way after care about, it usually means that the feeling is one sided. And Naruto knows that all too well. And that's why his eyes are always semi-dull when he sees her.

"Sakura-chan…" he whispers into the wind as he trudges unwillingly on. Boy, does he not want to do this.

He wants her and all of her love and attention, but if that is at the expense of her happiness, he would rather she hate him. He thought she had at first, but she finally came to acknowledge him and call him a friend. She had counted on him to bring back her love, but he failed. Now he was going to train to force that bastard back. To bring back her happiness, even if it meant killing a piece of his heart.

He made it to their training area only to find that she beat him there. He had to sweatdrop… he was picking up Kakashi-sensei's bad habit of being late.

"Sakura-chan…"

"Naruto!" she smiled. She was feeling pretty good about herself. She was doing so well in her medical studies. Soon she'd be able to go with Naruto to bring her Sasuke-kun back. But her attitude soon changed when she noticed the down look on the foxy shinobi's face. "What's wrong? Naruto?"

"Anosa… anosa… Sakura-chan, I have to go on a training mission…"

"Is that all you called me out here for?!?" She was sorta angry. She left training early because Naruto said there was something important he had to tell her. She lied to the Hokage!!! And for what? He was just going on…

"Well… it's kinda for three years…" he looks away, his eyes downcast.

That caught her attention. "NANI?!?" He flinches at her outburst. He knew she would be upset.

She falls to her knees, a look of disbelief finds its way to her face. "B-but what about team 7 and us bringing Sasuke-kun back together…." She questions him. He was the only one she had left now. If he left her… she didn't even want to think about it.

He kneels down across from her. "You're leaving me too… everyone is leaving me… I thought if I got stronger then… then…" she says quietly as tears begin to fall from her eyes.

"Sakura-chan…" Naruto murmurs as he still refused to look at her. He was just as bad as that Sasuke bastard. He was responsible for these tears. He wants to cry himself, but he can't. He has to be strong for the both of them.

On that thought he, cautiously, he pulls the pink haired kunoichi into a loose embrace. Rather than pulling back from his touch, she clings to him desperately as her tears soak his orange jacket. Naruto then, in an attempt to stop himself from succumbing to tears, buries his head in her shoulder. They stay like this for some time.

It hurt so much to see her like this. He cares about her so much his heart aches. But he knows that these tears aren't for him, but for her loneliness. All of this time he had to fight that loneliness for her, but she barely noticed his efforts.

Then Naruto pulls her closer and opens his mouth, his warm breath tickling the back of her neck. "_Girl, I care about you. I'm there for you. So why don't care for me like I care about you?_" he sings softly, most of his voice muffled due to his head being buried in her shoulder. She hears it anyway and blushes, but refused to let go of him. She would keep him with her, no matter what.

"Naruto… please don't go. I-I need you here with me. I can't go on by myself." She tells him as the tears refuse to stop. "Stay with me and we can be happy together. I can make you happy." He stiffens a bit. She told him that was what she said to Sasuke before he left.

He doesn't want to leave her warmth, but he feels it isn't right. He removes her hands from around his neck and pulls away. "Sakura-chan…I don't want to be _his_ replacement. It would only make both of us miserable." He then smiles at her with his normal foxy grin. "Don't worry. When I'm gone, I'll get super strong and then bring Sasuke-"

"I don't care about Sasuke!" she nearly shouted at him. This shocked both of them, but she continued in a softer voice, "… I just don't want to be left alone again. I don't want to you to not come back this time… I want you to stay… onegai?"

She wants to cry some more, but she can't. Shinobi aren't supposed to cry. Besides, she had already spilled enough tears for a lifetime. She tries to dry her eyes, but Naruto beats her to it. His course finger brushes her tears away. She blushes again and watches him as he stands and looks away with a solemn look on his face.

"I have to go but," he turns back to her, looks down, and smiles, "I promised I'll return and stay with you always after that." He removed the necklace Tsunade-baachan gave to him and places around Sakura's neck. "This seals the deal. Just wait for me." Then, without hesitation, he lowers his head and kisses the pink haired kunoichi on the forehead.

Surprised by his own actions and afraid of being pummeled to death by the girl before learning some more kick ass techniques from Ero Sennin, he stands up quickly and rushes off, a large hue of crimson covers his face as he hastily waves goodbye. As the cloud of dust caused by said boy clears, a very flustered and confused Sakura is left in his wake.

-----

Three years have past since then and Konoha has been repairing itself slowly, but surely. Konohamaru and his year had finally produced some Genins to take some of the workload of the smaller jobs, while all of the remaining members of the Rookie Nine and Gai's team became Chuunins. There had been a few attacks on the Hidden Village of Konoha, but there were nothing that the Chuunins couldn't handle. It seemed that Konoha could become the powerful ninja village it once was with the help of their Godaime Hokage, Tsunade.

In that same place a young girl of 16 walks through the busy streets, sporting her Chuunin flank proudly. It wasn't everyday that you could brag about being a Chuunin AND say you were Godaime's apprentice. A smile crosses her face as she makes her way to the gates of the village. Since the beginning of this year, she could be seen there, waiting. She was that determined to be the first person he would see when he returns.

After he left, all she could do was think about him. His courage. His gentleness. His considerateness. His kindness. His selflessness. He should all of these sides of his personality to her over the years, most which she ignored at the time. She thought she wanted Sasuke at the time, but all she was doing was lying to herself. Naruto was always there for her, not Sasuke. Naruto was the one that stood up for her, not Sasuke. Naruto was the one that cheered her on all the time, not Sasuke. It took Sasuke and Naruto's absences to make her realize that.

Sasuke was someone that all of the girls wanted, so who was Sakura to go against the crowd? If you didn't like Sasuke, you were deemed an outcast while growing up. But after getting to know Naruto, something inside her changed. And now she knew who she really wanted.

She leans against the outside wall of the large, wooden gates in anticipation. Her short, pink hair blows in her face and goose bumps appear on her arms and legs due to the lack of long sleeves as a chill begins to spread throughout the air, but she didn't care. She would wait for him like he did for her for so many years.

Then she hears a noise. _Laughing?_ She quirks a brow. It sounded like a pervert was approaching. Her eye twitched. If there weren't enough perverts in Konoha, another one was coming. But her thoughts were interrupted by the cracking voice of a teen.

"Baka Ero Sennin!!! I'll never be like you!" Even though it had changed a little with age, she knew that voice. All of a sudden, she didn't know what to do… or say. He left her after an awkward situation. She was thinking about sneaking away, but damn her luck, she was spotted. The two men stopped before her. And he just stared at her.

She gulped and looked up. _'He's gotten taller…'_ His physical appearance changed drastically. His stubby legs became long and trim, making him able to look over her head easily. His spiky hair was, well, still spiky, but went below his ears and covered most of his eyes. His physique was of one that was chiseled from three years of hard training and of maturity. The only things that hadn't change were his eyes. They still hold that boyish innocence he left with.

She shifts her gaze away from him and takes a deep breath. Then she takes the plunge. She hugs him tightly, burying her head into his midsection. From her lips escape, "T-tadaima, Naruto-kun."

She shocked him, but that wears off quickly. His eyes soften as a small, gentle smile appears on his features as he returns the embrace. "Okaeri!!"

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Blarg… There! Are you happy now, Jing-san? NaruSaku is probably the couple I dislike the most… Bias towards NaruHina… I hope I didn't screw it up though. Erm… yeah…he kissed her forehead or "noble brow"… I know it's normally the cheek, but this is big forehead girl. Him kissing her forehead is showing affection because he is 'beautifying' something that Sakura is self conscious about. Showing that he really cares, I guess. Song used in this fanfic: "I Care 'Bout You" by MilestoneSoul Food Soundtrack. Okay…. Ja ne for now…

-minimerc


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